Dubbeldam Design Architects

Earthscape

The design honours the importance of the east-west visual axis, focusing new construction on either side of the existing runway, up towards the rooftops. Development on the site imagines structures coming out of the landscape rather than sitting on top of it. Existing hangars will be reused as a market space, a St. Lawrence Market/Granville Island idea, with a tight pedestrian edge towards the water. Year round activity on the site will be promoted by developing the island as a park, with residential, retail, educational and institutional uses. The most spectacular part of the site will be an iconic building that faces the city, inviting Torontonians to visit and experience the site.

The vision was developed by experimenting with the existing landscape on the site. The group felt that the most provocative part of the site was the east-west runway. The group also agreed that the eastern point of the island provides an excellent location for a spectacular site looking at the City of Toronto, and the western point of the island should be a peaceful place, focused on health and contemplation.

Throughout the many iterations that evolved, a guiding principle was to integrate the site with the city and to create an active, urbanized, sustainable space: park to city and city to park.

Earthscape Team

Michel Rojkind, Rojkind Architects

Antonio Gómez-Palacio, Office for Urbanism
Delia DeSimone, Office for Urbanism
Graham Bolton, Montgomery Sisam Architects
Heather Dubbeldam, Dubbeldam Design Architects
Braz Menzes, York Quay Neighbourhood Association
Bill Freeman, Community Air
Leah Weller, Student, Ryerson University
Cyndy De Los Santos, York Quay Neighbourhood Association